Apparatus for the treatment of textile fabric

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for treating textile fabric comprises a housing defining a series of treatment zones maintained at different temperatures and through which the fabric is adapted to be conveyed in succession by conveyors. The zones of lower temperature have conveyors allotted thereto and the zones of higher temperature have other conveyors allotted thereto.

United States Patent [191 Bruckner 1 May 28, 1974 1 APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF TEXTILE FABRIC [75] Inventor: Kurt Bruckner, Erbach/Odenwald,

Germany [73] Assignee: Bruckner Apparatebau Gmbl-l,

Erbach/Odenwald, Germany 22 Filed: May 11, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 252,181

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 28, 1971 Germany 7120929 [52] US. Cl 34/216, 34/217, 34/155, 34/162 [51] Int. Cl.... F26b 25/06 [58] Field of Search 34/115, 151-163, 34/203, 209, 217, 216, 236

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,980,558 11/1934 Tandel 34/160 2,091,805 8/1937 Chuse 34/23 2,838,420 6/1958 Valente 34/216 2,989,809 6/1961 Kurz 34/203 3,021,607 2/1962 Fleissner 34/225 3,199,213 8/1965 Milligan et al..... 34/155 3,393,532 7/1968 Khoylian 34/225 3,460,898 8/1969 Fleissner 34/1 15 Primary ExdminerKenneth W. Sprague Assistant Examiner-James C. Yeung Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Learman & McCulloch 5 7] ABSTRACT Apparatus for treating textile fabric comprises a housing defining a series of treatment zones maintained at different temperatures and through which the fabric is adapted to be conveyed in succession by conveyors. The zones of lower temperature have conveyors allotted thereto and the zones of higher temperature have other conveyors allotted thereto.

8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF TEXTILE FABRIC This invention relates to a device for the treatment of textile fabric, especially of looped fabric, which is conveyed by means of an endless rotating conveyor device through several zones of differing temperatures.

In the finishing of looped fabric, where there is a tendency to sagging during treatment in tentering frames, it is found satisfactory to use a conveyor belt on which the looped fabric is supported over the full width.

In practice it is however found that devices of this type have a considerable heat consumption. More detailed investigations, on which the invention is based, brought the recognition that this high heat consumption is mainly due to the conveyor belt passing through several zones of differing temperatures.

The invention is therefore based on the problem of providing a device of the type described in such manner that the heat consumption is considerably reduced.

According to the invention this object is achieved in that the conveyor device comprises a plurality of conveyor belts, allotted to the individual temperature zones.

In this manner the periodic heating and cooling of the conveyor belt on passage through the individual temperature zones is avoided. Instead the conveyor belts disposed within the various temperature zones in accordance with theinvention remain always at approximately constant temperature, so that losses from heating and cooling are avoided.

The principle as provided by the invention may for instance be applied to tentering frames, wherein the fabric inlet zone, the drying and fixing zone, and the cooling and outlet zone are each' allotted a separate conveyor belt.

The invention may however also be applied to a wet treatment machine, for instance a solvent washing machine or a steam shrinkage machine. Here too the wet treatment zone, the drying zone and the cooling zone are each given a separate conveyor belt.

The invention is shown schematically in the drawings wherein FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of one embodiment and FIG. 2 is a similar view of a modified embodiment.

The tentering frame in accordance with FIG. 1 includes a fabric inlet or treating zone 1, a high temperature drying zone 2, a high temperature fixing zone 3 and a low temperature cooling and outlet zone 4, the zones being separated by slotted partitions.

The textile fabric 5 (especially looped fabric) is conveyed through a series of housings of the device by two holding or tenter chains 6 which engage the fabric edges. The textile fabric is supported in the inlet zone 1 by means of a conveyor belt 7 located wholly within the zone 1. A second conveyor belt 8 supports the fabric in the drying zone 2 and in the fixing zone 3 which is kept at a similar high temperature. Finally a third conveyor belt 9 located wholly within the zone 4 carries the fabric in the cooling and outlet zone 4.

In the variant shown in FIG. 2 the conveyor belt 7' in the fabric inlet zone 1 is taken through the slot 10 into the drying zone 2 and is reversed in the initial area of the said drying zone 2'. This ensures that the textile fabric 5 is also properly supported in the area of the slot 10 of the partition and cannot come into contact with the lower boundary edge of the slot (which could have a deterious effect on the quality of delicate fabric). In similar manner the reversing drum for the conveyor belt 9 in the cooling and outlet zone 4', is disposed in the rearmost area of the fixing zone 3, so that the textile fabric is also properly supported in the area of slot 11 in the partition.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for the treatment of textile fabric comprises means establishing a series of treatment zones one after another, at least one of said treatment zones being maintained at a relatively high temperature and adjacent a second of said treatment zones maintained at a relatively low temperature; a pair of spaced apart tenter chains extending through all of said treatment zones for engaging and conveying fabric through said zones one after another; first conveyor means in said one of said zones between said tenter chains for supporting fabric through said one of said zones; and second conveyor means in said second zone between said tenter chains for supporting fabric through said second zone, said first and second conveyor means being independent of one another.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first and second conveyor means are located wholly within their respective zones.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first conveyor means extends into the initial part of said second zone.

4. Apparatus according to claim I wherein said zones are separated from one another by a partition and wherein said partition has a slot for the passage of fabric and said tenter chains.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said first conveyor means extends through said slot into the initial part of said second zone.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said one of said zones is an inlet zone and said second of said zones is a drying zone, and wherein said second zone is followed by a relatively high temperature third zone which is a fixing zone, and said third zone is followed by a relatively low temperature fourth zone which is an outlet zone, said third and fourth zones having third and fourth conveyor means, respectively, for supporting fabric therethrough.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said first and fourth conveyor means are located wholly within the first and fourth zones, respectively, and wherein said second and third conveyor means comprises a single conveyor spanning said second and third zones.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said first and fourth conveyor means extend partially into said second and third zones, respectively, and wherein said second and third conveyor means comprises a single conveyor spanning the remainder of said second and third zones. 

1. Apparatus for the treatment of textile fabric comprises means establishing a series of treatment zones one after another, at least one of said treatment zones being maintained at a relatively high temperature and adjacent a second of said treatment zones maintained at a relatively low temperature; a pair of spaced apart tenter chains extending through all of said treatment zones for engaging and conveying fabric through said zones one after another; first conveyor means in said one of said zones between said tenter chains for supporting fabric through said one of said zones; and second conveyor means in said second zone between said tenter chains for supporting fabric through said second zone, said first and second conveyor means being independent of one another.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first and second conveyor means are located wholly within their respective zones.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first conveyor means extends into the initial part of said second zone.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said zones are separated from one another by a partition and wherein said partition has a slot for the passage of fabric and said tenter chains.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said first conveyor means extends through said slot into the initial part of said second zone.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said one of said zones is an inlet zone and said second of said zones is a drying zone, and wherein said second zone is followed by a relatively high temperature third zone which is a fixing zone, and said third zone is followed by a relatively low temperature fourth zone which is an outlet zone, said third and fourth zones having third and fourth conveyor means, respectively, for supporting fabric therethrough.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said first and fourth conveyor means are located wholly within the first and fourth zones, respectively, and wherein said second and third conveyor means comprises a single conveyor spanning said second and third zones.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said first and fourth conveyor means extend partially into said second and third zones, respectively, and wherein said second and third conveyor means comprises a single conveyor spanning the remainder of said second and third zones. 